House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., right, and member Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, are among members expected to weigh in on a conservative solution to replace the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows told reporters Tuesday a Trump administration official asked his caucus to put together a conservative immigration plan that would provide a legislative solution to replace to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“Administration officials don’t want to be caught flat footed with no proposals,” the North Carolina Republican said. “On the debt ceiling there were no conservative solutions. ... And it’s incumbent upon us to put some conservative and compassionate solutions out there to address it. So we’re taking that task as a real challenge. I was asked to do it. That’s what we’re doing.”

“If we do not have a bill that we’re actually debating in September [that] hopefully gets a vote in October, it will not get to the president’s desk by Thanksgiving. … If it doesn’t get there by Thanksgiving guys, it ain’t going to happen,” the North Carolina Republican said to a crowd of conservative activists at an Americans for Prosperity rally at the Newseum.

Republican House leadership is confident they have the votes to pass a four-bill “minibus” spending package before heading out for the August recess. They’re slated to leave town Friday, July 28. The minibus includes Defense, Energy-Water, Legislative Branch and Military Construction-VA funding (66 percent of discretionary spending for the government), as well as funding for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, according to Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. See the video for more details on the House’s busy week.

Virginia Rep. Morgan Griffith has drawn praise from his colleagues for his willingness to work toward solutions and compromise. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

In a political world where perfectionism can often earn you a bad reputation as an obstructionist, Rep. Morgan Griffith has managed to do the opposite.

Colleagues say the Virginia Republican, a member of the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus, has shown a willingness to compromise and work toward solutions on legislative and procedural problems. But they also describe the four-term lawmaker as a principled perfectionist whose attention to detail has been an asset, not a hindrance.

North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, answers questions from protestors in Morganton, North Carolina, about the health care bill and Russia investigations. (Lindsey McPherson/CQ Roll Call)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Washington may not always understand or appreciate the House Freedom Caucus, but its constituents generally do.

At events in the districts of three caucus members last week — Mark Meadows in North Carolina, and Dave Brat and Morgan Griffith in Virginia — a variety of constituents interviewed had not only heard of the hard-line conservative group but showed a good grasp of its mission: to provide a voice for people outside the Beltway who lack backing among Washington’s special interests.

Rep. Mark Meadows signs pictures taken of him with constituents to send the constituents as a thank you for their time. (Lindsey McPherson/CQ Roll Call)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus are considering a push for broader reconciliation authority in the upcoming fiscal 2018 budget resolution that would allow Republicans to pursue policies beyond a tax code overhaul.

“We believe that writing the instructions more broadly will give us greater flexibility not only to get tax reform but also to address other areas simultaneously,” Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said in an interview here Friday.

Rep. Mark Meadows gives advice to middle school students in McDowell County, North Carolina preparing for a cardboard boat competition. (Lindsey McPherson/CQ Roll Call)

Rep. Mark Meadows has long been a household name in western North Carolina, but his newfound notoriety outside the 11th District has not gone unnoticed by those back home.

“If you watch TV at all you know that our congressman is very much a mover and shaker in Washington, D.C.,” South Caldwell High School teacher Tony Crump said, as he introduced Meadows at a masonry competition Thursday for three area high schools.

Speaker Paul D. Ryan and his leadership team were able to secure enough votes for passage of their health care plan. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

BY LINDSEY MCPHERSON AND ERIN MERSHON

House Republicans breathed a sigh of relief Thursday as they finally advanced their health care overhaul out of the chamber in a narrow 217-213 vote. No Democrats voted for the measure. They were joined by 20 Republicans who voted “no” as well.

Tuesday Group Co-Chairman Charlie Dent is among the moderate Republicans unlikely to be convinced to vote for the GOP’s health care bill. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus have shouldered the majority of the blame for the Republicans’ failure to repeal and replace the 2010 health care law, but GOP moderates may be equally — if not more — responsible for the impasse.

There are arguably more hard “no” votes (members not likely to be convinced to move to “yes”) for the GOP leadership’s plan among moderate Republicans than there are among Freedom Caucus members.